Improvement in faucets



J.'M0KENNA. FAUGBT.

No. 36,473. Patented Sept. 16, 1862.

ilNrrED STATES- PATENT Grinch.

ANI) ALEXANDER AND THOMAS MOKENNA.

lMPRGVEMENT IN FAUCETS.

Specification formingv part of Letters Patent No. 36,473, dated September 16, 1862.

' erence marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in constructing a faucet with a longitudinal division in the shank, so as to create two separate and distinct ways leading through the key to the bottom of the barrel in which the key turns, and arranging them with relation to each other and to the key so that when the faucetis driven into a cask containing ale or other malt liquors that generate gas, and a pressure is created thereby upon the liquid, then both of the ways will act as openings for the fluid to pass through into the same vessel, and when the ale or other liquid becomes flat and requires air to enable it to run one of the ways acts as an air-vent, which allows fluids to be drawn off without the necessity of starting. the bung or admitting air into the cask in any other way than through the faucet. Although this plan of having two ways is sufficient to draw off liquids from an air-tight cask when put in operation, yet a difficulty arises in starting the liquid when once stopped, as the atmosphere presses alike upon both openings and prevents its flow. To overcome this and insure the running immediately upon turning of the key to open the faucet, I make that part below the shank to extend down sufliciently far to form a chamber or reservoir outside of the barrel in which the key turns. When the flow is shut off, this chamber is retained full of liquid,which, upon opening of the faucet, owing to the preponderance of weight, acts like a siphon and causes the air to rush into the cask through the upper way, which enables liquids to be started and drawn from an air-tight vessel with perfect freedom without being affected by opening and closing of the faucet.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction by reference to' the ac companying drawings, in which- Figurel representsa perspective view of my improved faucet. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the same.

All the parts are lettered,and similar letters indicate like parts on both the figures.

I construct my improved faucet of brass or any other metal that will answer the purpose, forming the body A in one piece, This includes the shank L,(or that part to be inserted in the cask,)the barrel in which the key 0 turns, and the nose P, all of which are of the ordinary form,with this exception, that in the shank and passing longitudinally through it is a thin partition, so as to divide it into two ways, the upper way,S, extending in a straight line to the barrel of the faucet,while the lower way, B, passes along the shank until it reaches a chamber, E, formed on the outside of the barrel below the shank, the key 0 being properly shaped and fitted to the barrel and secured therein by means of a nut, a, and washer h. The largest way, B, communicates with an opening in the key, which allows the fluid to pass out at the mouth WV at its lower end. Above this opening in the key is a diagonal channel, X, which conveys the fluid that may pass through the upper way, S, into a small spout, 9, formed upon the outside of the barrel below the nose I. The close proximity of the two outlets enables all fluids that may escape through either outlet to fall into the same vessel, as hereinbefore stated.

To operate my improved faucet, the shank I being driven into acask containing liquid and the key turned by means of lever H, as at Fig. 1, the openings of both waysare closed and the lower way out off at the bottom of the chamber,which retains it full of liquid. The upper way, being straight, is cutoff at its point of intersection with the key above the center of the shank,which allows all liquid below this point to pass out through the small pipe 9. Upon turning the lever H, as at Fig. 2, both ways are simultaneously opened,and if the cask requires air the weight of fluid in the chamber, in its endeavor to escape through the opening W in the key,being so much below the cut-off of the upper way, S,causes the air to rush in through the small pipe g'along the upper way, passing into the cask at the opening K at the end of the shank sufficiently fast to insure a full flow from the lower way.

Having thus described my improvement in 2 saws faucets, I wish it distinctly understood that I air-vent, as occasion ma require it, as herein lay no claim to a faucet having an air-tube'in set forth. I the shank when said air-tube terminates orhas 2. Combining with the two-way shank L the its openings either in the shank or in the key chamber E, with the cut-off at its bottom arabove the line of the fluid cut-off; but ranged below the line of the shank, for the pur- I do elaim-- h l pose as hereinbefore stated. 1. A faucet having a division in the s ank forming separate and distinct ways with their JOHN MCKENNA' outlets below the shank, and enabling the fluid Witnesses: to pass through both into the same vessel, or I. W. ELLs, one to act as a fluid-way and the other as an 1 WM. A. TAYLOR. 

